The kid avengers

Looking back

All six of the children were soundly asleep by the time the credits rolled at end of the film.
Thor was still clutching a mostly empty bowl of popcorn while Steve was lay beside him snoring softly. Clint was lay on Tasha; his arms wrapped protectively around her, while she slept leaning on Tony, Bruce was curled up beside him sucking his thumb.

Between the four adults they got them all into bed before returning to settle in the lounge on the now vacated sofas and allowed Darcy to ask the questions they knew she was desperately waiting to

"So, Tasha doesn't like the doctors?"

"She's terrified. If you knew her past it wouldn't surprise you" Coulson answered

"But she's so tiny! Already, at that age they were messing with her?"

"It's not been easy; all of them had hard childhoods, Natasha moreso. When they first got here Clint flinch every time one of us would move too suddenly, and Tony would never dare ask for help with anything. Steve barely ate; afraid we'd run out of food and Tasha freaked out any time a door was shut; panic stricken she'd be locked in. Thor and Bruce haven't been too bad, but it's still been a challenge"

"It's heartbreaking" Darcy said quietly, peering up the hallway where the team of miniature superheroes slept

The other three nodded in agreement

"What else did they do when you first got them?" Darcy queries, hoping for some more lighthearted tales

"Thor was amazed at everything" Maria smiled at the memory, "he saw everything with a naive innocence, and was always excited to learn what things were called, how they worked and what they were used for"

"Tony loves looking and taking apart the StarkTech round the tower, he insists he's going to make better things when he grows up" Phil added, looking at the StarkPad which lay on the floor, half dissembled.

"Natasha didn't even know what a toy was, she used to sit in silence and watch the others playing. It took her weeks to figure it out and even then I don't think she was sure why she was playing with them" Pepper laughed, remembering the confusion on the little girls face the first time she'd handed her a black widow figurine.

Darcy smiled; it was like listening to parents talk fondly about their kids. She certainly had never thought of Maria Hill, Phil Coulson and Pepper Potts as parents before now.

"Have SHIELD figured out why? I mean why the different ages?"

"Something in that warehouse exploded, we assume Bruce was the closest, Tasha next, and Steve the furthest out, but we have no idea. They don't remember the explosion"

"How much do they know?"

"They all remember their childhoods, unfortunately, and then waking up in a warehouse and being found by Phil. They seem to have kept some awareness of the present day though. None of them have asked about their families, or questioned the change year, or why they're in New York. They trust each other, as well as us, as if they're familiar, but they don't really know why. They've just accepted the new situation"

The four of them stopped their conversation momentarily as they heard something from down the hall. Pepper got up and went to listen, after a few minutes she returned to her seat

"It's just Tasha, she has nightmares" Pepper informed Darcy

"Shouldn't you check on her?"

"No, it's sort of a nightly occurrence; she's fine as long as she's with Clint"

"Do you think they'll remember all this when they're back to normal?"

"I hope so, we've worked really hard to try and give them a happy childhood this time round, I'd like to think that they'd all have at least a few good childhood memories that way" Phil answered

"Yeah, that'd be nice" Darcy said quietly, thinking fondly of her six friends, who were currently tucked up in bed, wearing footsie pajamas and clutching various stuffed animals